Alemany’s Khalil Swinson repeats as champion, highlighting big day for local wrestlers

WESTMINSTER — It was a repeat performance for several wrestlers and several teams at the CIF Southern Section Coastal Division tournament on Saturday at Westminster High.

Alemany’s Khalil Swinson won his second consecutive regional title at 170 pounds, Harvard-Westlake sent 10 to the tournament and had two medalists qualify for the Masters meet and Camarillo added another championship to its storied program.

Swinson, a junior, defeated Leangelo White of Western 5-3 to win his second title. However, this year he gets the opportunity to compete at the Masters tournament after being too injured to do so last season.

“(The second title) feels great. It’s a big relief,” Swinson said. “Because I felt like I was working really hard to get this and I’m not done yet. The goal is state. But this feels great.”

It continued the Alemany streak of division titles after Akeem Gonzales and Nishan Mood won in 2011 and 2012, and Swinson comes one step closer to matching the school best of three straight, accomplished by James Casteneda — now a Warriors coach — between 1993 and 1995.

“(Winning two in a row) means a lot to me because Coach James is my coach. I watch him and he coaches me every day and I always tell him that I want to be a three-time winner. like him. Now I’m just one step closer.”

Alemany finished with the most medalists among area teams with four, including Eric Cortez (152) Okalani Taufahema-Langi (182) and Dandrell Johnson (220). Each of those three took win-or-go-home fifth-place matches.

Harvard-Westlake’s two Jakes — Bracken and Adler — both qualified for Masters after Bracken finished third at 132 and Adler finished fourth at 126.

“I feel pretty excited. Last year, I didn’t even make it to Day 2 of this tournament, so I’m really happy with how I did and I think Masters is going to be a lot of fun,” Bracken said.

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Camarillo’s Taylor Ramirez won the title at 220.

“I came here with a neutral mind thinking that I’d wrestle, see what happens and just go with the flow and it just took me right here,” Ramirez said. “The first match gave me some momentum and I started to believe that I can wrestle here.”

Crespi’s Joshua Romero qualified again for Masters after he finished fourth at 120. He took third at 106 as a junior last season.

“I know how Masters is so I just have to be mentally prepared,” Romero said. “Masters is mostly mental.”

The Masters meet is Feb. 28-March 1 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

Eastern Division

Randon Miranda became the first champion from Quartz Hill in almost 20 years after he won the 106-pound title at Citrus Hill High. He was also voted the Lower Weight MVP of the tournament.

Miranda defeated Lancaster’s Billy Divins by fall in the semifinals and Elijiah Diaz of Montclair in the finals and won the school’s first championship since Jacob Wassdorp won the 220-pound title in 1996.

Despite the loss, Divins of Lancaster still qualified for Masters with a fifth-place finish at 106.

Highland’s Austin Duren won the 138-pound title when he defeated Dominick Magana of San Marino by fall in 1:52 and his teammate Nicolas Woslum also qualified for Masters with a fifth-place finish at 152.

La Canada had two placers with Guillermo Padilla finishing fifth at heavyweight and Alex Bache placing third at 182.

Hoover’s Arthur Ghukasian came within a whisper of winning a title, but lost to Michael Lopez of Victor Valley by pin in the last 30 seconds of the 160-pound championship match.

Northern Division

Thousand Oaks had six medalists and five Masters qualifiers in the regional tournament at Santa Maria High.

Keenan Ferguson (160) and Rogan Wells (170) both finished second and Austin Jones (145), Brendan Garland (152) and Nick Rieman (182) each won their fifth-place matches and qualified for the next tournament. The Lancers finished in sixth place as a team out of 50 schools that participated.

Royal’s Deric Ginther won the title at 182, Ryan Blomquist finished second at 138, Josh Koning placed fourth at 106 and Tanner Kanteman did the same at 220.

Simi Valley had two Masters qualifiers, with Tristan Martines finishing second at 152 and Jacob Cano third at 120.